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Tuesday 9 October 2018

Star performance by the fantasy business

From the BBC we hear a tale of dramatic success by the UK film and TV industry.

The British Film Institute (BFI) says the UK film and TV industry generated a record £7.9bn in 2016, helped by government tax reliefs.

A BFI-commissioned report found that £632m in tax relief prompted additional spending of more than £3bn on the creation of films, high-end television, such as The Crown, and computer games.

It said HM Revenue and Customs got more than that money back, gaining £2bn tax.

The BFI says this proves the value of such tax reliefs to the wider economy.

The report looked at the effects of tax reliefs granted across the UK's screen industries, which include film, high-end television programmes, video games and animation programmes, and children's TV.

The BFI claims the money generated 137,000 jobs in 2016 alone.

Another beneficiary is tourism.

Films with a strong UK story, place and culture such as Harry Potter, Paddington and Kingsman have featured prominently in UK tourism campaigns.


I'm not so sure about films with a strong UK story, place and culture such as Harry Potter, and Paddington. Make it up as you go magic and a talking bear are not necessarily how we should promote ourselves. Although magic does seem to be politically fashionable at the moment. And socially fashionable. Even scientifically fashionable if we count climate science as a science.

What the blue blazes is high-end television though?

4 comments:

Scrobs. said...

Wonder if they factor in the TV tax?

the awful bbc clearly has less overheads and fixed costs, and still get it wrong!

Luckily the last time we saw a live broadcast was a bit of Harry the lad's wedding, just to see the ugly sisters, and a few seconds of The Boat Race (I think)!

In just under four years, we'll not have to risk going to gaol, but the BFI will still blurb along with its platitudes, loveyness and weak pap.

wiggiatlarge said...

"high-end television programmes"
Very expensive to make, not neccessarily profitable.

Sam Vega said...

If "High end television" is exemplified by The Crown, then I'm all for it. I found it extremely enjoyable and well crafted. Not at all like the normal formulaic nonsense that has driven me away from nearly all TV programmes.

A K Haart said...

Scrobs - six years before we avoid the TV tax. Seems an absurd waste.

Wiggia - that's what I'd assume although presumably quality is supposed to be in there too. How they judge quality I've no idea.

Sam - my TV habit seems to have faded away to almost nothing. I find myself watching the mechanics of the thing, the set, props and facial expressions of the of the actors, particularly the way they fabricate emotions. Or I count the seconds between each scene. It isn't involving and maybe it never was - merely a way of passing the time.